Spain report: Cava fights for recognition

Cava producers get fidgety if you suggest the past was less than glorious, but facts are facts: this sparkling behemoth entered the export market as a producer of cheap and cheerful fizz that undercut champagne. Meanwhile, a succession of high-profile bodegas have left the DO since 2019, citing long-running grievances over territorial identity and quality positioning. As a case study in category rehabilitation, few appellations command as much fascination today. Not least because, at first glance, the odds are not stacked in cava’s favour.